Wetherspoon boss will accept euro in his pubs

JD Wetherspoon chairman and leading anti-euro campaigner Tim Martin has said he will accept the new currency in his pubs.

The euro will come into circulation across Europe early in the new year and Mr Martin predicts it will collapse within 12 years.

But despite his reservations, he has said Wetherspoon's outlets in airports and port towns will accept the currency.

"We take a large number of currencies at our pubs at Heathrow and in coastal areas such as Dover, so we will take the euro," he said.

In September Mr Martin launched a series of anti-euro posters and beer mats that are being displayed in more than 500 of the company's pubs. (pictured above)​

The posters and beer mats have the slogan "Let's get shot of it" and have information about the "Europe Yes. Euro No" campaign supported by Mr Martin.

He said he wanted to introduce debate about the new currency in the pubs and he denied that by accepting the euro he would encourage "currency creep" - helping to break down opposition to the introduction of the euro in Britain.

"That is complete and utter nonsense," he said. "If that were true we would adopt the dollar in certain areas where there are large numbers of American tourists. I don't think there is a snowball's chance in hell of that being true."

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Wetherspoon chairman attacks euro (7 September 2001)